màrén: 骂人 - To Scold, To Swear At, To Curse Someone

• Keywords: maren, ma ren, màrén, 骂人, how to swear in Chinese, scold in Chinese, curse someone in Chinese, Chinese insults, arguing in Chinese, verbal abuse Chinese, lose face, Chinese argument
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese verb 骂人 (màrén), which means “to scold” or “to swear at a person.” This page explores not just the translation, but the deep cultural significance of verbal confrontation in China. Understand why directly scolding someone is a serious act tied to the concepts of “face” (面子) and social harmony, and learn how to use and recognize this powerful term in everyday conversations, online, and in arguments.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): màrén
• Part of Speech: Verb-Object Compound (can function as a verb)
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: To verbally abuse, scold, curse, or swear at a person.
• In a Nutshell: 骂人 (màrén) is the action of directing anger and harsh words at another person. It's not just about using profanity; it's the entire act of a verbal attack. Think of it as the difference between muttering a curse word when you stub your toe versus yelling insults directly at the person who tripped you. 骂人 is always the latter—it requires a target and is an act of direct, aggressive confrontation.

• 骂 (mà): This character is composed of two parts. The radical on the left, 口 (kǒu), means “mouth.” The character on the right, 马 (mǎ), means “horse” and provides the sound. You can remember this as “words coming from the mouth (口) as fast and aggressively as a galloping horse (马).” The core meaning is “to scold” or “to curse.”
• 人 (rén): This simple character is a pictogram of a person walking. It is one of the most fundamental characters in Chinese and means “person” or “people.”

When combined, 骂人 (màrén) literally means “to scold a person,” creating a direct and unambiguous term for verbal assault.

In Chinese culture, maintaining social 和谐 (héxié) - harmony - and protecting one's own and others' 面子 (miànzi) - “face” or social dignity - are paramount. The act of 骂人 is a direct violation of both of these principles. It is an explicit attempt to make someone lose face, to humiliate them either privately or, even more seriously, publicly. In Western cultures, particularly American culture, direct confrontation (though hopefully polite) can be seen as a healthy way to resolve issues. “Clearing the air” or “being direct” can be valued traits. In China, however, a direct verbal attack like 骂人 is often seen as a sign of poor character and a complete breakdown of a relationship. Disagreements are typically handled through indirect means, mediation, or subtle cues to avoid the shame associated with being scolded. Therefore, witnessing or participating in 骂人 is a significant event. It's not just an argument; it's a social rupture. The severity also depends on hierarchy: a parent scolding a child is common, but a child scolding a parent is a profound act of disrespect.

• Daily Arguments: You'll hear 骂人 used to describe everything from road rage incidents to heated arguments between neighbors. It's the go-to term for any situation where one person is verbally attacking another.
• Parenting and Discipline: A parent might scold a child by saying, “我不是在骂人，我是在教育你！” (Wǒ bùshì zài màrén, wǒ shì zài jiàoyù nǐ! - “I'm not scolding you, I'm educating you!”). This shows the negative connotation of the term.
• Online Culture: The anonymity of the internet has made 骂人 extremely common on Chinese social media, forums, and online games. People often talk about the poor “online atmosphere” (网络风气 - wǎngluò fēngqì) filled with people 骂人.
• Describing Behavior: It's frequently used to describe someone's bad character. For example, “他脾气不好，喝醉了就喜欢骂人” (Tā píqì bù hǎo, hē zuìle jiù xǐhuān màrén - “He has a bad temper and likes to swear at people when he's drunk”).

• Example 1:
  • 你为什么骂人？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ wèishéme màrén?
  • English: Why are you scolding/swearing at people?
  • Analysis: A direct and confrontational question. This is what you might say to someone you see being verbally aggressive.
• Example 2:
  • 老师告诉我们，骂人是不对的。
  • Pinyin: Lǎoshī gàosù wǒmen, màrén shì bùduì de.
  • English: The teacher told us that swearing at people is wrong.
  • Analysis: Here, 骂人 functions as a noun phrase, representing the “act of scolding people.” This is a very common structure.
• Example 3:
  • 他们在街上为了一点小事就开始互相骂人。
  • Pinyin: Tāmen zài jiē shàng wèile yīdiǎn xiǎoshì jiù kāishǐ hùxiāng màrén.
  • English: They started scolding each other on the street over a small matter.
  • Analysis: The adverb 互相 (hùxiāng) means “mutually” or “each other,” perfectly describing a heated, two-way argument.
• Example 4:
  • 他因为工作压力大，回家就对家人骂人。
  • Pinyin: Tā yīnwèi gōngzuò yālì dà, huí jiā jiù duì jiārén màrén.
  • English: Because his work stress is high, he scolds his family as soon as he gets home.
  • Analysis: Note the structure 对 [person] 骂人 (duì [person] màrén), which means “to scold [person].” The a target of the scolding is made explicit.
• Example 5:
  • 文明用语，禁止骂人。
  • Pinyin: Wénmíng yòngyǔ, jìnzhǐ màrén.
  • English: Use civilized language, swearing at people is forbidden.
  • Analysis: You might see this on a sign in a public place or as a rule in an online forum. 禁止 (jìnzhǐ) means “to forbid.”
• Example 6:
  • 别动不动就骂人，有话好好说。
  • Pinyin: Bié dòngbùdòng jiù màrén, yǒu huà hǎohǎo shuō.
  • English: Don't just start swearing at the drop of a hat, if you have something to say, say it nicely